Article by Lia Leendetz reproduced
with kind permission of the Royal
Horticultural Society's Garden magazine.
Photographs by David Murray.

Pumpkins for
the people

Many vegetable
gardeners find it difficult to make use
of surplus produce, but Lia Leendertz
discovers how one man is encouraging
people to donate their excess crops to
feed the homeless

Gluts and
droughts are an inevitable part of
vegetable gardening, as it is almost
impossible to estimate exactly how many
tomato or runner-bean plants are needed
to feed a family. Divination apart, and
without an accurate prediction of how
weather will affect crops, the only thing
that can be relied on is that there will
be excesses and shortfalls. Most people
err on the generous side, and may spend
half the summer bottling, freezing and
pickling their harvest, before the time
comes to give away their surplus crops;
but there are good causes that can
benefit.

Peter
Chin Kean Choy teaches t'ai chi among
rows of pumpkin 'Potimarron'.
He urges gardeners to donate some of
theri crop to homeless shelters and save
seeds for friends to grow.